The Night Omen
by XLight Of DawnX
Summary: The young she-cat Nightpaw begins her climb to the top of Thunderclan while discovering traitors, a dark prophecy, and young love! Rated K for slight violence. Rate and review!
1. Chapter 1

**The Night Omen**

**_FanFiction By XLight Of DawnX_**

Nightkit glanced up at her mother, Swiftpelt, who was laying on her side breathing evenly. She yawned and glanced around. Her sister Moonkit was asleep as well. She sighed and placed her head on her paws, bored. The sun had barely risen, and the nursery was still dark. Suddenly, there was movement at the entrance to the den. She rose up, ears pricked, then relaxed as her father slid in. "Thornfur!" she meowed happily. "Good morning, little one." he purred and gave her ears a lick. She ducked away, bouncing around his paws. "Are you going on a patrol? Can I come? I hope it's a hunting one! Or maybe a border patrol! Do you think we'll see intruders?" Her father laid his tail gently across her back. "Calm down, Nightkit. You know very well you can't come. You still have another moon in the nursery." She sighed. "Then what can I do?" Her father purred, pride in his eyes. "You'll be a good warrior. So willing and helpful. And so many questions!" He chuckled. "Why don't you work on the elders nest's? The apprentices, i'm sure, would be happy to have a helper or two." He glanced over at her sister, who yawned and stretched. "Alright, I'm coming," she mewed, disturbed from her slumber. The two sisters padded out of the den, into the cool morning fog.

"Mouse Dung!" Nightkit spat. Moonkit had dropped a scrap of bedding and she had slipped on it. Rising back to her paws, she hooked the scrap on her sharp claws and flung it strait at her sisters scruff. Moonkit wheeled around and dropped her bundle, a gleam of amusement in her ice blue eyes. She picked up another bit and flung it back. The two littermates continued to toss the scraps, meowing with laughter. Suddenly, Pantherpaw and Ravenpaw appeared from the gorse tunnel with more moss. Pantherpaw's eyes stretched wide and Ravenpaw growled, "Just look at the mess you made! How mousebrained are you, you stupid kits? Who raised you, rouges? Go back to the nursery where you belong!" Now it was Nightkit's turn to be surprised. "How dare you criticize us for having a bit of fun? Like you never flung moss at your denmates! I know you've likely done it to Pantherpaw. You two act like mates, strutting around together all the time." Ravenpaw ducked his head, embarrassed, but didn't protest. "Come on, Moonkit, let's go back to the nursery. These two moony apprentices can finish without us." Nightkit began to stalk off, but a large meow from above stopped her. "Nightkit, come here please." She turned around, confused, and then noticed BrambleStar looking down at her. "Catch you later, Moonkit," She muttered nervously, staring up at the large brown tom. With a worried swallow, she quickly climbed the rocks and followed BrambleStar into his den.

BrambleStar, as always, was brisk and to the point. "I saw you with Ravepaw and Pantherpaw." Nightkit Gulped. "Well, yes, I was….umm….," BrambleStar flicked his graying ears impatiently. "You don't have to tell me what happened. I saw it all." "Oh," Nightkit sighed, bowing her head. "However," purred BrambleStar, "You are in no trouble. I just wanted to tell you that you did a very good job of showing Ravenpaw he was wrong. You handled it well." Nightkit puffed up in pride, and dipped her head. "Thank you, BrambleStar." The large tom nodded, focusing his deep amber eyes on her. "You may go now, kit." She slowly walked toward the entrance to the den, trying to look dignified.

Later that night, though most of the clan slept soundly, BrambleStar did not. He tossed and turned, as he was receiving a dream from Starclan.

_Bramblestar stood in a small clearing, next to a bright lake littered with glittering stars. Suddenly a dark cloud drifted over the sky, making it too dark to see. Then he felt the presence of an ancient Starclan cat, too old to be named, beside him. "You grow old, Bramblestar. Soon you will join us. But not yet, you still have a few moons left with your beloved clan. However, you must leave them in good paws. A war is coming, a war between Thunderclan and the darkest clan in the forest. Only a leader of Night can lead Thunderclan to victory. Remember, Bramblestar, only a leader of Night…_


	2. Chapter 2

BrambleStar woke with a jolt, gasping from the reality of his dream. _What did it all mean?_He wondered. A leader of night…..

Nightkit looked up at her mother, who was staring at her with shining, proud eyes. "Is it time for my ceremony yet?" She mewed. "Almost, dear one," Her mother replied patiently. Nightkit sighed and fidgeted, then looked at Moonkit, who glanced at Nightkit nervously, almost looking guilty. Nightkit wondered why her sister looked so guilty, but soon pushed it out of her head. Then came the loud, rumbling meow from the highledge. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own pray join here beneath the highledge for a clan meeting!" Yowled Bramblestar. Moonkit, still shaking, padded out into the clearing followed by Nightkit.

"Moonkit, step up here please," called Bramblestar. Nightkit watched her pad forward slowly. "This is a proud day for Thunderclan," Begun Bramblestar. By naming apprentices we show that Thunderclan will remain strong. Moonkit, is it your wish to take the path of a medicine cat? Though Moonkit was shaking, her voice was strong. "It is, Bramblestar." "Good, Moonkit. Your mentor will be Willowbark, and tonight you will travel with her to the moonpool to receive your apprentice name." Bramblestar nodded and flicked his ears. Moonkit headed over to Willowbark and they touched noses. "Moonkit!" "Moonkit!" Cries came up from all the cats.

Nightpaw's ceremony had gone smoothly, and her mentor was a strong young tom named Bushclaw. He had instructed her to gather moss for her bedding, and then retire. They would start hunting in the morning. She was happy she had nothing to do, because she wanted to see her sister. Nightpaw was confused and a bit angry that her sister had not told her that she wanted to become a medicine cat. She had pictured them training together, hunting together, and fighting together so many times….but now her sister was taking such a different path. She sighed, rose, and padded slowly into the medicine den, her tail dragging the ground.

"Moonpaw," called Nightpaw. "Where are you?" "Over here," called her sister. Nightpaw trotted up to her, then sat quickly with her tail wrapped around her paws. Moonpaw was looking over the herb store, nudging some with her nose and others with her paw. Curiosity overcame Nightpaw's original plan, and she tipped her head to the side. "What are you doing? Do you really know all those herbs already?" Moonpaw purred. "No, of course not. Willowbark told me to look for any dried up or molded leaves and throw them out." Nightpaw nodded, then sighed. "Moonpaw, why didn't you tell me earlier that you wanted to become a medicine cat? I would have understood. I mean, I just thought we would train together, but it's okay if you want to follow a different path. Why wouldn't you just tell me?" Nightpaw glanced at her sister, whose face was crossed with a look of pain and frustrasion. "Oh, Nightpaw, I'm so sorry! I was going to tell you, honest! But you seemed so happy at the thought of us becoming warrior apprentices, I didn't want to hurt you. I just didn't know how to tell you!" Moonpaw wailed. "Don't ruffle your fur," Soothed Nightpaw. I'm not that angry. I was just a little surprised you didn't tell me!" Moonpaw sighed in relief. "Good! From now on, no lies. Ever! I promise!"

Nightpaw slipped in to the apprentices den just as dusk was falling. "Hi!" She greeted. "Where do I make my nest?" Pantherpaw laughed. "With the other _little_ apprentices, of course. "Fine by me," hissed Nightpaw. She slipped into the den with her moss and quickly scrapped together a nest next to pearlpaw, a creamy white young apprentice. As she was settling in, she heard Pantherpaw talking softly with Ravenpaw. "She thinks she's such a big shot. Strutting around like she's deputy or something. We ought to put her in her place." She could see Ravenpaw's head nodding in agreement. "But how? She's in camp all day!" "We'll think of a way," sighed Pantherpaw. Nightpaw's thoughts reeled. _What were they going to do to her_? She tried to think. _Well, if I can get Bushclaw to show me some fighting moves tomorrow, maybe I can take them!_ _No way._She sighed_. That would never happen. They are way more experienced, and there's just one of me!_Finally she drifted to sleep. _I'll think of something in the morning…_


End file.
